White Bean Balsamic Pasta Salad
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
This White Bean Balsamic Pasta Salad is a summer must make! Made with vegan feta, cherry tomatoes, herbs, white beans & balsamic dressing!
Another pasta salad for the books! This White Bean Balsamic Pasta Salad is easy to make, ready in 30 minutes and serves a crowd. The balance of chilled pasta, garlicky balsamic dressing, fresh veggies & herbs, white beans and vegan feta is unmatched. Serve this pasta salad at your next BBQ – it is sure to be a hit!
Step One: Make the Balsamic Dressing
The balsamic dressing is incredibly simple and packs so much flavor. Here is what you need for the dressing:
- balsamic vinegar
- garlic
- shallot
- lemon zest & juice
- salt & pepper
- olive oil
Once you have everything in the bottom of your salad bowl, whisk for a couple of minutes. This will emulsify the oil and incorporate everything. Add some chopped cherry tomatoes to the dressing and let them marinate while we prep everything else.
Step Two: Prep the Salad Ingredients
Next thing on the list is to cook the pasta. I used fusilli pasta, but you can use any short pasta. Boil some water, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water.
I did use vegan feta in this recipe. I think it adds a nice tang to balance the balsamic dressing. I get mine at Trader Joe’s – it is my favorite. I also decided to cube the feta with a knife, but you could also just crumble it.
The rest of the salad is made up of spinach, 2 cans of white beans, fresh parsley & basil.
Step Three: Assemble & Serve
To assemble, add the chilled pasta, white beans, 1/2 of the feta, spinach, parsley and basil to the tomatoes & dressing. Toss until everything is evenly coated. Taste and add salt & pepper if needed.
Top the salad with the rest of the feta, more basil and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. You can serve at room temperature or chilled, which makes this great if you need to make it ahead of time.
This salad is summer in a bowl. You are going to love it – and so will everyone else at your summer BBQ!
Need more recipe inspo? Check these out:
White Bean Balsamic Pasta Salad
Ingredients
FOR THE DRESSING
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 shallot finely minced
- 1 lemon zested & juiced
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup olive oil
FOR THE SALAD
- 12 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 pound short pasta I used fusilli
- 2 15-ounce cans white beans drained & rinsed, see notes
- 7 ounces vegan feta cubed or crumbled, I used Trader Joe's
- 2 handfuls spinach
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil torn
- balsamic glaze for serving, optional
Equipment
Instructions
- Add the dressing ingredients to a large salad bowl. Whisk for a couple minutes. Add the tomatoes and let them marinate in the dressing while you prep the rest of the salad.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- To assemble, add the chilled pasta, white beans, 1/2 of the feta, spinach, parsley and basil to the tomatoes & dressing. Toss until everything is evenly coated. Taste and add salt & pepper if needed. Top the salad with the rest of the feta, more basil and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Video
Notes
- I used great northern beans, but you could also use chickpeas or butter beans.
Would love to bring this to a family property. Would have to make it mostly ahead. Do you think I could do that and moisten the pasta with a little dressing to begin with and then add the additional elements on site?
The only thing I would be worried about adding ahead of time is the spinach. Add about 1/2 of the dressing and everything else beforehand and then add the spinach and the rest of the dressing right before serving. Enjoy!
Made this salad last night. Cut back on the olive oil a little bit and added an extra tablespoon of fresh parsley. Only had dry basil and it still worked perfectly (1 teaspoon dry for 1 tablespoon fresh). I also added an extra can of beans for more protein. It was delicious! I’m going to make this for our family reunion this summer.
These look so yummy! Haven’t made it yet, but wondering if I could bake the patties instead? If so, what temp and time do you suggest?
Thanks in advance!!